planecrazy.eu

Need something explaining to me =)

I have been reading about eyes, vision and all that, but cant find the answer to this.

Some people "cant" see 20/20 with correction, why is this?

Example case - +4.75 corr / 1.75D Astg, 20/30 vision.

To my mind, increasing correction could increase the vision? For example, if you used a telescope, you would obviously see 20/20, so why not if you increased dioptre?

Bad example really, but wondering why some can see 20/20 with correction and some cant?

Thanks

NurseToPilot

Correction CANNOT give you 100% perfect vision- it can only improve your vision.....

Obviously everybody's eyes are different but somebody with say +5.5 Could be corrected but may not be corrected up to +0.0... they may still have a residual prescription perhaps of +1.75 forexemple.... this fact would therefore mean that you could not achieve 100% 20/20 vision......

Also there is only so much you can correct - You've seen people with "JAM JAR" bottom glasses haven't you? The correction in this is immense yet their vision may still NOT be 100%

There is technology available to get the same prescription into THINNER lenses.... however it has its limits and you can only refract up to a certain point...

Hope this makes some sense.

JON

tigermagicjohn

CAA is blaming it on JAR, having spoken with chief medical doctor - he himself did not personally agree with the pre op limits put on laser surgery.
However it is because of JAR and later EASA, they need approval from all countries, and some of them want more strict rules, French and Germans I have been told.

However defies all logic with regards to safety, a pilot from USA, can arrive on a 747 with glass like the bottom of Coca Cola bottle, and not even see the exit door when he takes his glasses or lenses off.
I do understand and agree for military aircraft it needs to higher standards due to their kind of flying, but commercial airlines - sorry JAR has got this completely wrong. And all doctors I have spoken to agrees on this.

I believe given time, maybe 5 - 10 years they will start to see sense here in JAR land to, but I hope this will not kill of the dream for some! I say don't give up, where there is a will there is a way.
Going trough FAA might be risky, but there are other countries you can fly in who do not belong to JAR, and where FAA license is sufficient, but of course this is not the easy route, but if you young free and single, it is not impossible!

NurseToPilot

As I've previously said - I failed Class1 due astigmatism..... had laser surgery (against CAA advice as their blanked statement is WE DONT RECOMMEND IT) the told them about it and asked if i could be re evaluated.......

I now possess a Class 1 Medical!

planecrazy.eu

Thanks for that.

What opticians do people use, and how do they find them?

Just wondering, as both vision express and D&A give me slightly better results than Spec-Savers.

I was also wondering if anyone has better experience with a type/make of lens or store?

I have heard Carl-Zeiss are good lens'?

I need a new pair, and was thinking of buying from a new optician rather than spec-savers and maybe using a new brand of lens rather than Pentax.

I am a SLR user, so i know that lens can make a high impact on quality and sharpness.

7oodaz

guys , can you please answer my question ?

NurseToPilot

Its all well and good getting Carl Zeiss lenses in your glasses....... BUT the CAA will still TEST your eyes using their own lenses which may NOT be Carl Zeiss....

The be all and end all of the result you get will depend on THE CAA results and nobody else's.... So regardless of which optician you go to and what results you get... Changing optician to get a better result will only make the 'difference' larger if the CAA results are less....

You can however almost guarantee that the CAA WILL be using the BEST equipment available (they have to to justify our silly costs)


Hope this makes sense

JON

simulacra

Is this measured while the eyes are fixated on an object or is this the "worst case scenario" if a latent hyperphoria is forced through blocking one eye at a time?

nannodnai

Thank you so very much ! Never heard that classification before !

Been an AME for 23 years, and still learning something new almost every day !

Cheers !

Zamfire

This came up after hearing an interview with the founder of [a] pilots' supply business. Apparently he has one rather bad eye which did not meet the usual 20/20 (corrected) requirements for a CPL. But he eventually succeeded in getting his Class2 medical and going on to a successful flying career.

I was wondering if anybody here has personal experience with this:

Suppose you wanted to get a FAA Class 2 medical to go for your CPL (already have a PPL) but your eyesight in one eye was just outside the limits (20/40, corrected).The other is 20/20, corrected.

Now I heard of plenty of cases of commercial pilots with various vision defects, including only having one eye, still getting Class 2 and even Class 1 medicals. Either through a waiver or through a Statement Of Demonstrated Ability.

Has anyone here gone through this process? Is it worth a try? I know I can talk to an AME and have done plenty of research online, but I'd like to hear about personal experiences.

Charlie Zulu

Zamfire,

I've successfully gone through the process.

My eyesight is 6/6 (20/20) in my left and 6/9 (20/30) in my right and with both eyes together it is obviously 6/6 (20/20).

I originaly travelled to the USA (2003) to gain an FAA IR and pass a PPL checkride to obtain a full standalone-not-based-on-any-foreign-licence FAA PPL/IR. However because I had around four hundred hours at this point the IR examiner talked me into doing an FAA CPL checkride instead which I passed. When this all happened I had only an FAA Class 3 medical as I thought I wouldn't be able to hold any higher medical due to my right eye correction (the FAA stipulates 20/20 in each eye seperately for Class 1 and 2 medicals).

So I then held an FAA CPL/IR with an FAA Class 3 medical. In FAA land one can obtain any level of certificate up to FAA ATP with just an FAA Class 3 medical. However, obvious as it may be, one cannot use the privilages of the certificate unless you have the appropriate medical. So I was limited to private flying only with my FAA CPL/IR and FAA Class 3 medical (which was all I wanted it for anyway).

At my medical renewal a couple of years later my FAA AME asked if I wanted to go and try to obtain an FAA Class 1 medical. We had a discussion and it transpired that he would do the medical examination and if I otherwise passed (except the right eye being 20/30) he wouldn't be able to issue the certificate but would pass all of my information to Oklahoma FAA medical division for a decision.

I did have to have an FAA opthamology report filled in by the optician and had numerous tests done there. These were faxed off to the FAA via my AME.

A couple of weeks later I received through the post a letter from the FAA. I thought it was going to be a denial of medical certificate or more probably an FAA Class 3 medical.

However when I opened the letter I found inside an FAA Class 1 medical with the limitation "Must wear corrective specs" and "Not valid for any class after November 2005".

The accompany letter said I was issued an FAA Class 1 medical under special issuance. The condition of the issuance was that I furnished an opthamology report at least yearly. So at the second renewal (Class 1's are valid for 6 months and I wanted to keep the Class 1 medical valid even though I could have let it lapse to Class 2 privilages) the medical said "Not valid for any class after November 2006" and so forth...

It appears the FAA takes each case on its own merits and can issue medicals under special issuance if one furnishes the required information and it is acceptable by the medical division. Basically they want to ensure you're not going to be a risk to other people, whether flying with you or on the ground.

I did have about 500 hours and an FAA CPL/IR before applying for an FAA Class 1 medical. However I don't think they took any of this into the equation and I believe it was purely based on opthamology reports etc. I would not recommend getting a certificate without getting the medical first if you are wanting this purely for a career.

All the best!

Zamfire

Thank you very much for that information, it's good to hear a success story once in a while.

I hate to say it, but many commercial pilots seem to look down with disdain at anyone who does not have perfect eyesight and has to resort to eyeglasses. There are many factors involved in being medically fit to fly and eyesight is only one of them. I have always enjoyed perfect health in all other respects, unlike many CPLs I have known, who have a host of other medical issues to deal with, but somehow it is always eyesight that seems to be talked about the most.

I fly in the some of the busiest airspace in the world around Los Angeles and have often asked myself; what would I see if I had had a Class 1 or 2 medical that I don't see right now with my Class 3? What would I need to see that I can't see now?? How much safer would I be or my passengers if I had 20/20 in my "bad" eye instead of 20/40 since I alway (duh...) fly with both eyes open (at 20/20)?

Thanks again for taking the time to relate your experience.

J500

Hi,

I am a network engineer about to take a plunge into aviation for a Commercial pilot training course. Before that, I need to make sure I meet the Indian DGCA Class 1 standards for medical fitness. I have -4.5D in both eyes which is below the -6.00 standards. To be sure of my fitness, I am planning to take the class 2 and class 1 meds. How long are the class 2 and class 1 dgca meds valid? Also, how soon can I get a Class 1 once I clear the class 2? Any help would be highly appreciated.

TelBoy

Well the above statement might shock a few of you to thinking the CAD test is available - well at present it is not.

In my last visit to Aviation House I did actually take the CAD test (yes the CAA DO have it) they told me at the time that if and when it was certified they would look at the results. In my following letters to them they agreed to look at my results and tell me if I would pass or fail when it becomes available.

Well the CAA have now written to me using the results of my City Uni CAD test and say I would fail (funny they did not use their own results!!).

So there you have it folks, do not hang on hoping about the CAD because you could well get the same answer as myself.

dombeaumont

Hi Telboy,

Sorry to hear of your unfortunate results. What does this mean in terms of them not giving you results from theirs at the CAA? Is there any chance the results may differ?

How much nagging does is involved before they give you a reply? I have also written to them seeking results of the CAD I took last year at the CAA too. Still yet to hear anything.

planecrazy.eu

With FAA i think, pretty sure too, that you are ok as long as you can see 20/20 with both eyes.

With the CAA you are out of luck, as your over... However, call them, talk to them, send them what they ask for and they may call you down.

Bubulle

Hello!

As I'm in the doubt, I would like to remove it: I've 5.25 dioptres of myopia and 1.5 dioptres of astigmatism for my worst eye (thus out of the 6.00). I've read in the beginning of the topic (2005...) that CAA might give the 1st class if a candidate fits the renewal requirements. Is it still true, nowadays, in 2009? I've only 0.75 above the requirements and I can't imagine to have to give up my dream for that I know that EASA could make the standard a little bit easier but I've been waiting for 23 years...

Thanks for your help

vickers vanguard

charlieromeogolf,

You would get a Class 1 medical, with the mention " Daylight only ". You can always fly dual at night if you wish to of course.

modhop

Hi Guys

I was wonderng if anyone could enlighten me as to where I can do An FAA Medical in Ireland or the UK. Any help would be appreciated.

Regards

Modhop

Shunter

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